Hallmark Debuts Their First Christmas Movie With A Gay Couple

“It’s an honor to make a little history,” Jonathan Bennett said

Have you fully recovered from crying your way through the trailer for the star-studded queer Christmas film starring Kristen Stewart and Dan Levy? Great, because Hallmark just debuted a teaser for their first-ever Christmas flick featuring a gay couple in the lead, and it not only looks like a must-watch, but it stars a familiar face from the early aughts.

Joining Hulu (where Stewart’s Happiest Season will premiere) and Lifetime (which also announced its first-ever holiday film, The Christmas Setup, to not only feature an LGBTQ love story, but also a gay couple in the lead), Hallmark is set to release The Christmas House on Nov. 22, starring Mean Girls‘ Jonathan Bennett and Brad Harder. The Christmas House follows an admittedly shameful year for Hallmark whose 2019 holiday films featured zero same-sex couples (no, really — none).

“Representation is so important, and to represent this storyline on Hallmark Channel, it’s an honor to make a little history,” Bennett told Entertainment Tonight this week.

The Christmas House follows brothers Mike Mitchell (played by One Tree Hill‘s Robert Buckley) and Brandon’s (Bennett) return home for the holidays. As they attempt to bring the family to together to recreate the Christmas house, Brandon and his husband, Jake, anxiously await a call about the adoption of their first child, the film description on the Hallmark Channel’s website states.

Bennett added that he would have been excited to see a film such as The Christmas House when he was younger. “I can only imagine what younger me would have thought seeing a Christmas movie with a storyline like this; two men in love, having a baby together. I think I would have been so excited, and I know I’m excited.”

Adopting is something Bennett and his partner, Jaymes Vaughan, have spoken about, too.

“We’re thinking about that for sure, especially shooting this movie it really spoke to me,” he said. “It’s almost like life imitates art.

“I am so proud of Hallmark Channel and everyone there for doing what they did this year, which was taking the holiday table and making it bigger and more welcoming than ever,” Bennett said. “I think so many people are gonna feel seen and so many people are gonna feel like they belong in the Hallmark family — and they do. It’s gonna be a really special year for so many people.”

In a separate promotional clip for the Hallmark film, Bennett said that what he’s most looking forward to this Christmas is spending time with his family.

“Family is the most important thing in the world to me,” he said, adding that some of the scenes from the new movie even inspired him to call his family. “I really hope this movie inspires people to come together with their families and surround each other with unconditional love,” he said.

The Christmas House premieres Nov. 22 at 8/7c on Hallmark.